According to Forbes, seven out of 10 new employer firms survive at least 2 years. Only half reaches five years, a third at least 10 years and about a quarter get to stay in business for longer than 15 years.

Which is why it was not surprising when Advanced World Systems, Inc. (AWS), a multi-million-dollar IT company from Japan with offices in Alabang, Makati and Cebu, decided to hold its 20th anniversary at the beautiful island of Siargao, in the southern portion of the Philippines. Twenty years is a big feat for any business and AWS celebrated it with the theme: "Ready to face the challenging future".

The grand three-day summer celebration, which involved flying and shipping in about 300 of the best IT professionals from all their four offices in the Philippines, was held over the weekend and was a welcome refresher after a year of perseverance and hard work.

Aside from team building activities, sumptuous dinners that included fresh sea foods and delicacies, tours of Siargao and its neighboring islands and a whole weekend free from work, the enthusiastic employees of the company - whose average age is 26 - were also given the freedom to roam around and explore the place, relax and unwind and even catch some waves.

Everyone was able to experience the sun, sand, surf and sea that the wonderful islet had to offer and hoped for more similar excursions in the years to come. A well-deserved break for these professionals who continue to strive for Global IT excellence through strong technical competence and high level of Japanese and English communication skills.

Kudos to everyone and, of course, a big congratulations to the AWS group for reaching their platinum anniversary.Let us all be ready to face the challenging future!

References:
Nazar, J. (September 9, 2013).
16 Surprising Statistics about Small Businesses [Article].
Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/jasonnazar/2013/09/09/16-surprising-statistics-about-small-businesses/